Draft gear



Nov. 1 1949 e. PELIKAN ETAL 2,486,975

DRAFT GEAR Filed Jan. 16, 1948 FIG.I

FIG. 2 26\ :0 00; 20 15 17 WQW I l 12 17$ 1% INVENTORS Gear-ye H. MunroGear-ye Pelz'kar;

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1, 1949 DRAFT GEAR George Pelikan, Brooklyn, andGeorge R. Munro,

' Massapequa, N. Y.,

aslignorl to Waugh Equipmcnt Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofMaine Application January 18, 1948, Serial No. 2,583

This invention relates to draft gears for railway rolling stock and isconcerned more particularly with a novel draft gear, which is of simple4 construction, includes no parts generating friction and thus subjectto wear, and can be easily installed in the usual draft pocket on thegear. The gear never goes solid and, upon its installa- 'tion; there isno slack in the connections between the-coupler and the vehicle body.Accordingly, the gear becomes effective, as soon as the coupler yokebegins to move in a given direction, and it is 7 Claims. (Cl. 218-46)continuously effective throughout such movement.

The gear of the invention includes a central spring unit, and outerspring units of like capacity at opposite ends thereof. The outer springunits are of greater capacity than the central spring unit andpreferably all of the units include rub-. ber springs. Abutment means inthe form of central followers are interposed between the central springunit and each outer spring unit and each central follower haslongitudinal extensions. which engage a pair of stops on the car body.The central followers are so constructed that they partially overlap thecentral spring unit, and, at the outer end of each outer spring unit,there is an end follower bearing against the adjacent end of the yoke.when a force is applied to the coupler and the coupler yoke is moved,such movement is initially resisted by one of the outer spring units andthe central spring unit, until the central followers engage and furthercompression of the central spring unit is prevented. Thereafter, furthermovement of the yoke is resisted by an outer spring unit alone.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view on the line I-l of Fig. 4, through the new draft gearinstalled in a yoke in a draft pocket;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig.

- Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the gear with theparts in the positions that they assume when the coupler yoke is movedby a force in bull; and F1lilgz. 4 is a sectional view on the line H ofThe new gear is illustrated installed in a draft pocket between thelongitudinal sills ill of a railway vehicle, the sills being providedwith front stops II and rear stops i2 at opposite ends of the pocket.The draft gear is mounted transversely within a yoke IS, the forward endof which is connected by a key It to the shank it of a coupler.

2 The yoke is supported on a carry iron it across the sills andconnected to the lower edges thereof. The gear includes a pair of endfollowers II, which lie in contact with the inner faces of the ends ofthe yoke and are wider than the distance between opposed pairs of stopsI l or l2. The end followers have notched corners Ila in their outerfaces and are normally out of contact with the adjacent stops. A pairofouter spring units ll engage the inner faces of the respective endfol-- lowers and the inner ends of the spring units it bear against theouter faces of respective central followers, which are assembled of anumber of parts. Each central,follower comprises a plate I! lyingbetween and connected to a pair of longitudinally extending plates 20.Each plate 20 is of channel section and one leg 2i thereof bears againstthe inner face of one of the stops ll, l2. The legs 22 at the other endsof plates 20 of each central follower are connected by a plate 23 lyingbetween the legs and the plate IQ of the follower. Horizontal plates 24lie between and are connected to each plate l9 and its associated plate'23. The opposed faces of plates 23 of the two central followers formopposite walls of a pocket, within which is a central spring unit 25.Normally, the adjacent legs 22 on the plates 20 of the two centralfollowers are spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 2.

The central and outer spring units are made of rubber springs, each ofwhich is made up of a metal plate 26 having rubber members 21 onopposite faces thereof. In the construction illustrated, the metal plate26 is circular and the rubber members have the form of concentric rings.Each spring unit I! is illustrated as including four rubber springs withadjacent springs separated by divider plates, while the central unit 25comprises a single spring. A plurality of horizontal plates 28 aremounted on the inner face of each plate 20 and bear against theassociated plate i9 and the leg M at the outer end of plate 20.

The end followers, central followers, rubber springs, and divider plateshave aligned central openings, and a tube 29 passes through the openingsthrough each end follower l1 and the springs and divider plates of theadjacent outer spring unit l8 and into the opening of plate IQ of theassociated central follower. Each tube has an outer peripheral flange29a overlying a part of the end follower, through which it passes. Aplate 30 is mounted fast in each tube between the ends thereof, theplates 30 having central openings through which extends a. tie bolt 3|.The head on the bolt bears against the outer face of one end followerl1.

plate 30 and the nut on the other end of the bolt bears against theouter face of the other plate 30.

When the gear is to be installed, the nut on bolt 3| is drawn up so asto pull the end followers l1 toward one another until the total lengthof the assembly is slightly less than the distance between the oppositeinner faces at the ends of the yoke. The gear assembly is then installedin the yoke and the yoke is placed in position with the end followers llof the. gear lying between stops ll, l2. Thereafter, the carry iron 46is mounted in place to support the gear and yoke. In order that the gearassembly may, after installation, make tight contact with the ends ofthe yoke, a washer of U-shape is placed beneath the head or the nut onthe bolt with its radial opening extending upwardly, the washer beingheld in place against a plate 30, when the nut on the bolt is drawn up.During the use of the gear, the washer-will drop off the bolt and permitthe gear assembly to expand into tight contact with the yoke.

In the operation of the gear, the application of a force, for example,in buff, to the coupler causes .yoke l3 to move to the rear and theinitial part of such movement is resisted partly by the forward outerspring unit [8 and partly by the central spring unit 25. As the twounits are compressed, the forward central follower moves to the rearand, since spring unit 25 is of smaller capacity than the outer springunit l8, the legs 22 on the forward central follower will quickly engagethe corresponding legs on the rear central follower, after which theforward central follower is held against further movement. Furtherrearward movement of the yoke is then resisted by the front outer springunit alone, since the engagement of the two central followers preventsfurther compression of the central spring unit.

When a force in draft is applied to the coupler, an action, which is thereverse of that described, takes place. The initial forward movement ofthe yoke is resisted in part by the rear outer spring unit and in partby the central spring unit, such resistance continuing until the rearcentral follower has engaged and is held stationary by the front centralfollower. Thereafter, further forward movement of the yoke is resistedby the rear outer spring unit alone and the central spring unit isprotected against further compression.

The overall length of the gear assembly is preferably slightly greater,when the springs are in unloaded condition, than the distance betweenthe inner faces of the ends of the yoke. Whenever a force, for example,in buff, is applied to the coupler and the yoke moves inwardly, theforward end follower I1 is moved inwardly so that plate 30 within thetube 29 of the end follower moves away from the head or nut on the boltand the washer drops off the bolt. As the yoke moves inwardly, theinward movement of the forward tube 30 causes the bolt to release therear outer spring unit l8 and that unit expands slightly, until the rearend follower engages the stops [2. If a further inward movement of theyoke ogcurs, a gap indicated at 32 is opened up at between: the rear endof the yoke and the rear When the force applied to the coupler isreleased, the compressed forward outer spring unit I8 and central unit25 expand, advancing the yoke until its rear end engages the rear endfollower l1. As the two outer spring units l8 are of, like capacity, theyoke becomes centralized with its opposite inner faces engaguntil thecentral followers come into contact,

after which the cushioning effect is provided entirely by one of theouter spring units, depending upon the direction of movement of theyoke. The major cushioning effect is thus provided by the outer spring,units, which operate in alternation to resist forces in buff and draft,respectively.

Because of the'alternate use of the two major.

cushioning elements of the gear, the springs therein function only partof the time and their life is correspondingly increased. 20

In the construction illustrated and described,

each outer spring unit is made up of four rubber springs with dividerplates and the central spring unit consists of a single spring. .It willbe understood, of course, that diflerent numbers of springs may be usedin the spring units and the number to be employed will depend on thecharacteristics of the individual springs and the service in which thegear is to be used. 7 e

We claim:

1. A draft gear for use within a yoke in a draft pocket having a pair offront stops and a pair of rear stops, which comprises a front centralfollower having extensions adapted to engage the front stops, a rearcentral follower having extensions adapted to engage the rear stops, acentral spring unit of relatively small capacity between and inengagement with the central followers, and an outer spring unit ofrelatively large capacity in contact with the outer side of each centralfollower and adapted to act on the adjacent and of the yoke.

2. A draft gear for use within a yoke in a draft pocket having a pair offront stops and a pair of rear stops, which comprises a front centralfollower having extensions adapted to engage the front stops, a rearcentral follower having extensions adapted to engage the rear stops, acentral spring unit of relatively small capacity between and inengagement with the central followers, normally spacedopposed means onthe central followers engageable to limit the compression of the centralspring unit, and an outer-spring unit of relatively large capacity incontact with the outer side of each central follower and adapted to acton the adjacent end of the yoke.

3. A draft gear for use within a yoke in a draft pocket having a pair offront stops and a pair of rear stops, which comprises a front centralfollower having extensions adapted to engage the front stops, a rearcentral follower having extensions adapted to engage the rear stops, aninner rubber spring unit between and in engagement with the centralfollowers, and an outer group of rubber springs in contact with theouter side of each central follower and adapted to act on the adjacentend of the yoke, the outer groups of rubber springs being of greatercapacity than the inner unit.

4. A draft gear for use within a yoke in a draft pocket having a pair offront stops and a pair of rear stops, which comprises a front centralfollower having extensions adapted to lie longitudinally within thepocket and engage the front stops, a rear central follower havingextensions adapted to lie longitudinally within the pocketv and engagethe rear stops, the followers having cooperatin members on their opposedfaces defining a central pocket, a central spring unit of relativelysmall capacity within the central pocket and engaging the centralfollowers, said cooperating members being adapted to engage to limit thecompression of the central spring unit, and an outer spring unit ofrelatively large capac ity in contact with the outer side of eachcentral follower and adapted to act on the adjacent end of the yoke.

5. A draft gear for use within a yoke in a draft pocket having a pair offront stops and a pair of rear stops, which comprises afront centralfollower and a rear central follower adapted to be mounted in the draftpocket to lie transversely thereof, each central follower havingextensions at its ends adapted to lie parallel to the walls of the draftpocket, the extensions on. the front and rear central followers engagingthe front and rear stops, respectively, members on the inner sides ofthe central followers cooperating to form a central pocket, a centralspring unit of relatively small capacity within the central pocket andengaging opposed surfaces of the central followers, said members beingadapted to engage to limit the compression of the central spring unit,an

outer spring unit of relatively large capacity engaging the outer sideof each central follower, the outerspring units being alike, and anouter follower at the outer end of each outer spring unit and engagedthereby, each outer follower being adapted to engage the adjacent end ofthe yoke.

6. In a draft gear for usein a draft pocket having a front pair of stopsand a rear pair of stops, the combination with a yoke, of a frontadapted to engage the front and rear stops, respectively, a centralspring unit between and in engagement with the central followers,cooperating means on the central followers for limiting. the compressionof the central spring unit, an outer spring unit outside each centralfollower and in engagement therewith, and an end follower at the outerend of each outer spring unit, each end follower being engaged by saidouter spring unit and normally engaging the adjacent end of the yoke.

'7. A draft gear for use within a yoke in a draft pocket having a pairof front stops and a pair of rear stops, which comprises a centralspring unit, a pair of outer spring units lying at opposite ends of thecentral unit and adapted to be compressed alternately by the yoke, whenthe latter is sub- Jected to forces in buff and draft front and rearabutment means, the frontabutment means lying between and in engagementwith one end of the central spring unit and the adjacent end of thefront outer spring unit and the rear abutment means lying between and inengagement with the other end of the central spring unit and theadjacent end of the rear outer spring unit, the front and rear abutmentmeans having parts normally engaging the front and rear stops,respectively,

' and being movable inwardly away from-their respective stops againstthe resistance of the central spring unit, said abutment means havingengageable parts limiting the compression of the central spring unit,and a member engaging the outer end of each outer spring. unit andadapted to be engaged by the adjacent end of the yoke and moved therebyinitially against the resistance of its outer spring unit and thecentral spring unit and thereafter against the resistance of its outerspring unit only.

GEORGE PELIKAN.

GEORGE R. MUNRO.

No references cited.

